05 Mar 2013

WENA Environmental Education and News Trust aims to save up to 40 megawatts of electricity during the Earth Hour Global Climate Change billed for March 23 this year.

Speaking at the 2nd stakeholders committee meeting recently, Earth Hour co-ordinator Ms Florah Mmereki encouraged the public to volunteer by switching off all lights on March 23 from 2030hrs to 2130 hrs. The theme of this year’s global earth hour is: I will if you will.

She said last year, through the initiative, they managed to save 9 megawatts of electricity adding that government ministries and other organisations were pledging towards this endeavours through switching off their office lights, supply of trees and other ventures.

Ms Mmereki noted that by so doing, the public would be saving power and the environment. She however said her trust does not force the community to switch off their lights but only encouraging them to volunteer to so.

She said while all street lights would be switched off for an hour on March 23, the Botswana Police Services has offered to intensify their patrols and offered generators that would be used by people who will throng Gaborone Secondary School grounds for the commemoration.

Ms Mmereki said the Minister of Environment, Wildlife and Tourism,  Mr Tshekedi Khama, other cabinet ministers and Members of Parliament will this year bless the event by appearing on You-tube website to educate the public and draw more people to effectively switch their lights off during the specified time.

She urged all Batswana to at least plant a tree in their yard as support to former President Mr Festus Mogae’s initiative of 'One Million trees-Plant for Life which is the biggest world initiative.ENDS